Omaha daily bee., 1887-04-05
Presidential Campa,an Gossip.

Presidential Campaign Gossip.
Political circles at Washington and
| elsewhere are actively discussing the
| presidential probabilities of 1888. These
relate almost entirely to the republican
| outlook the democratic case being very
| generally regarded as practically settled,
| if Mr.. Cleveland desires u denomination,
| of which there is little doubt. The re-
turn of Senator Sherman to the national
| capital from his southern trip is the i'm.
mediate stimulus to the discussion. The
| consensus of opinion appears to be that
the senator very materially strengthened
his chances by that trip. His admirable
addresses more than ever commended
him as wise and judicious leader. We
have already pointed out their character.
istic merits. Comprehensive, candid
and eminently fair, they were such an
exposition of republican principles and
policy as the south has needed. 1t will
not be questioned that while no other re-
publican Is better qualified than Senator
Sherman to have successfully performed
his work, SO no other could have with
greater propriety undertaken it. MIR.
Sherman has been one of the foremost rep
resentatives of the radical wing of his
party. He has never tcmporzcd with
respect to the political methods Of the
dominant party in the south. He has had
the courage in all positions and in all cir
cumstances to proclaim what he knew
and to declare what he believed. Having
consistently for twenty years represented,
more earnestly and vigorously than any
republican leader now living, the dis
pleasure of his party with the political
abuses and wrongs IN the south, who else
could have 50 properly gone into that
section to advocate republican principles
with view to correcting those abuses
and wrongs?
A fair and generous people must learn
to respect IL man who frankly tells them
their faults, and whose judgment of them
is justified by results The new south is
seeing matters IN new light, political as
well As material. 1t has discovered that
grave mistake has been made in travel
ing in the old beaten paths. 1t has be-
come more intelligent, and therefore
more generous and just. These improved
conditions enabled Senator Sherman to
obtain willing and attentive hearing
There are indications already that
tho effect has been good. In
Tennessee the current is setting
strongly against bourbon rule, which
there as elsewhere in the south bias
feltered all the agencies of enterprise and
progress. A similar current is being felt
in Virginia and North Carolina. They
may not become strong enough by the
next national election to change the poll
teal status of these commonwealth, but
the promise they made is certain to be
realized in the not remote future.
Meanwhile the man who seems most
likely to profit by the changing condi-
tons, and who under the circumstances
seems best entitled to the profit, is Sena-
tor Sherman. The debt of gratitude
: which the republicans of the south owe
him for his past able and intrepid cham
pionship of their cause has been largely
increased by his latest effort in behalf of
his party in the south. 1t is therefore
not a baseless assumption of the friends
Of Mr. Sherman that majority of the
; representatives of southern republicans
in the next national convention will sup
port that statesman. 1t would be
casting doubt upon their pOliti
cal gratitude to believe other
> wise. Nor will the republicans oi
= other sections deny the consideration
due Senator Shcrman's effort to advance
the principles of the party in the south.
They now concede Its wisdom and the
admirable way in which it was con-
: Quoted. When the good effects certain
to follow become more apparent there
= will be many more than at present to ac-
knowledge that 80 judicious and able
: and courageous a leader has claim
3 upon the highest reward the party can
D bestow.
c This does not dlsparage the claims of
/. any other possible candidate. 1t simply
recognizes the facts of the situation rs
d they are seen and admitted by many OF
the shrewdest republican observers. The
s republican party, unlike its opponent, Is
not restricted in its choice of candidates
d to couple of leaders, one of whom rep
K resents reactonary faction. 1t has al
= abundance of available material, all o.
J, which is better than the best the demo
r Gratis can present. But there is at this
|. time An unmstakablc drift of sentimen,
= which, if 1t be maintained, must Civ,
e John Sherman, when the next republican
l. national convention meets, stronge
vantage ground than he has ever ye
y held.
Omaha Lots.
hriA tba